With all due respect to Luke Morris, who was flawless aboard Alpinista on his first ever ride in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the toughest job here on Sunday fell to the security team trying to usher Sir Mark Prescott, her trainer, from the winner’s enclosure towards the post-race press conference. At every other step, well-wishers were extending hands, exchanging teary kisses and even stopping Newmarket’s longest-serving trainer for selfies, as they shared the general delight at one of the most popular big-race successes for years.
Prescott, who is 74, took over the licence at the historic, 50-box Heath House stables in Newmarket, where horses have been trained since the 17th century, in 1970. At the time, he was the youngest trainer in Britain. In the 53 seasons since, he has landed Group Ones and gaff-track gambles, shown famous loyalty to his relative handful of stable jockeys and turned into both a historian and the elder statesman of Flat racing’s famous HQ.
